possible impaction

rango11

rango11

Member
Chameleon Info:

▪ Your Chameleon – Panther Chameleon, 4 months old, only had him 2 days ago

▪ Handling – a few times a day, he walks out onto me .

▪ Feeding – hes offered as much locusts as he’ll eat, usualy around 8

▪ Supplements – ive only fed him three times, supplemented with calcium +d3 one day then just plain old calcium the following two days.

▪ Watering - I spray his cage with a spray bottle , for 3 minutes three a day .

▪ Fecal Description – hes my first chameleon so not to sure exactly what the norm is but id say it seems hard (harder then my geckos poo, almost wood like)


Cage Info:

▪ Cage Type – repti breeze large

▪ Lighting – arcadia 100 watt (will be changing as seems to hot) exo terra uvb 13

▪ Temperature – usually around 85

▪ Humidity - 65%

▪ Plants – two large pieces of wood, large fake hanging plant and medium ficus tree.

▪ Placement – he is in my bedroom next to closet

Location – south wales


Current problem – when I bought him (from a very trusted panther breeder) he came with bark chips as a substrate…I did think this was odd but just went with it because the breeder said it was fine. However noticed him chewing almost on the bark pieces…I decided to take them out but before I had the chance to remove them all im almost certain he swallowed a piece. Im worried hes going to get impacted…I first thought hed swallowed it yesterday and he has pooped since then…is it possible to wood could have been broken down and passed through? Thanks in advance for any help.
 
Big parts that are to big to digest (completely) can cause problems...
So yes, it can happen and you need to keep an eye out if you suspect he's impacted you'll probably notice him losing appetite but he will remain bloated there will also be less/no droppings in the enclosure.

Just keep your eyes open and if you suspect that he's impacted take him to a vet ASAP.

You can try feeding him some squishy foods to help 'lubricate' stuff (waxworms, silkworms, hornworms etc).
 
okay thanks, Given his age he eats everyday, is he supposed to poop every day as well then? Ive only have him three days so difficult to notice any changes.
 
Mine poops everyday I think...
I don't see it everyday since it will get washed away by the misting but when they are younger and eat a lot they will poop nearly every day.
Once they are not growing as much anymore they will also not poop every day, sometimes even skipping a few days.
 
Welcome to the forums! We would love to see pictures of your new friend, we'e kinda suckers for them around here.

I agree with @Remkon, keep a close eye on him, feed him some soft feeders, hornworms are great as too many will make their poo runny anyway.
I would also up the mistings a bit. Add a couple. I have a panther and I mist 5 times a day. Twice at 5 minutes and the other three for 1 minute. The extra hydration will keep this moving as well. I highly recommend getting an automatic mister.

A few things I wanted to share with you....

One, for supplementing the schedule should be plain calcium with NO D3 every feeding, calcium with D3 twice a month and a multi vitamin twice a month. A very easy way to do this is just pick a day once a week, say Saturday or Sunday and on that day dust with the D3 or Multi alternating. One Saturday use the D3, the next Saturday use the multi and so one. Too much D3 can cause some major issues.

Also, wit your lighting and temps....
I see you have an arcadia and are planning to get a exoterra UVB. I'm assuming the arcadia is a UVB. I would honestly suggest getting a tube style UVB as is spreads out the UVB exposure better. Also, keep in mind that UVB bulbs need to be changed out every 6 months for anything other than an arcadia. Arcadia should be a year but check for the specific one that you have. Do you have a basking bulb as well? What is the temp at his basking spot? Then a little bit lower in the cage and then again at the bottom? Having a temp gradient is important for them to thermoregulate.
 
ill try and get pictures up this weekend. whats the best way to keep the humidity high? it seems as though after an hour of misting the humidity just drops! are there any obvious signs apart from no poop (nothing so far today!!) i should look out for? I'm can't remember the temps off the top of my head gonna start writing them down to see how much they fluctuate etc...! he's still plowing through his food today and is very active, does that mean anything in regards to impaction or not? again appreciate the help, total cham newbie here
 
rango11 said:
ill try and get pictures up this weekend. whats the best way to keep the humidity high? it seems as though after an hour of misting the humidity just drops! are there any obvious signs apart from no poop (nothing so far today!!) i should look out for? I'm can't remember the temps off the top of my head gonna start writing them down to see how much they fluctuate etc...! he's still plowing through his food today and is very active, does that mean anything in regards to impaction or not? again appreciate the help, total cham newbie here
Click to expand...
If the urates are orange/yellow that's a sign of dehydration
 
rango11 said:
ill try and get pictures up this weekend. whats the best way to keep the humidity high? it seems as though after an hour of misting the humidity just drops! are there any obvious signs apart from no poop (nothing so far today!!) i should look out for? I'm can't remember the temps off the top of my head gonna start writing them down to see how much they fluctuate etc...! he's still plowing through his food today and is very active, does that mean anything in regards to impaction or not? again appreciate the help, total cham newbie here
Click to expand...
Humidity will spike and lower throughout the day. Mine will spike to 99% during a mist and then slowly go back down to about 45-55% between times and at night. Live plants help keep the humidity higher longer. You could also cover 2-3 sides with a clear plastic shower curtain to hold in humidity.

Eating, drinking and active are good signs. Like @Lizzie The Chameleon said, yellow or orange urates are a sign of dehydration but it's hard to watch if he hasn't gone poo. I wouldn't worry too much yet, just keep him hydrated and add some soft feeders for now and keep an eye out for that next poo.
 
First thing's first, I do not recommend locusts for such a small animal. With past experience, small chameleons and locusts don't mix well. I understand the issue is with him consuming the bark substrate. I usually tape a piece of paper towel on the ground to absorb extra water and to keep the tank hygienic. I have never heard of using bark. I don't recommend putting it back in. Make sure the chameleon eats small soft foods if it is comfortable. A lot of juicy worms will help keep his stomach from impacting and causing SERIOUS issues. I recommend a few fatty worms and a few crickets until his diet balances. Keep the Cham hydrated to help with his bowel movements. Hope all goes well!
 
Kayleigh said:
Hello! Just wondering what the reason is that you don't recommend locusts?
Click to expand...
For a small chameleon, locusts are large. Locusts have long legs and wings and other parts that make it very hard for younger chameleons to digest. Even the smallest of locusts have caused small impaction in some chameleons. Small or soft worms along with a few crickets is a very good meal for the younger guys. Try and feed nice juicy hornworms or waxworms to help him digest until he is pooping at a nonfluctuating.
 
sebastianthechameleon said:
For a small chameleon, locusts are large. Locusts have long legs and wings and other parts that make it very hard for younger chameleons to digest. Even the smallest of locusts have caused small impaction in some chameleons. Small or soft worms along with a few crickets is a very good meal for the younger guys. Try and feed nice juicy hornworms or waxworms to help him digest until he is pooping at a nonfluctuating.
Click to expand...
What proof do you have that locusts have caused impactions? Have you dealt with this first hand? I have been on the forum for 6 1/2 yrs and have never heard such a thing.
 
Kayleigh said:
Hello! Just wondering what the reason is that you don't recommend locusts?
Click to expand...
Are you from the UK? I know alot of people over there have used them as regular feeders throughout the years. Unfortunately, some of the info you will get on here is not always correct.
 
carol5208 said:
Are you from the UK? I know alot of people over there have used them as regular feeders throughout the years. Unfortunately, some of the info you will get on here is not always correct.
Click to expand...
Yeah I'm from the uk! My new boy does have small locusts at the mo, they're tiny! Almost very cute!haha
 
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